Monterey's Adam Roach repeats as Big Sur marathon men's champ

In what was a stunning turn of events, 29-year-old Monterey resident Adam Roach came from behind to win the 28th annual Big Sur International Marathon on Sunday, finishing the majestic 26.2-mile course in 2 hours, 27 minutes, 46 seconds.

Roach, wearing the same peach tank top and shorts he did in winning last year, becomes the first Monterey County resident to repeat as marathon champion. The last male to win back-to-back Big Sur titles was Jonathan Ndambuki, who won in 2002 and 2003. Course record holder Brad Hawthorne (2:16:39) nabbed four straight wins from 1989-1992.

"It feels great," said a smiling Roach afterward. "I had a lot to make up the second half of the course, but I knew I could do it."

Around the 13.1-mile mark, Roach wasn't even considered to be a factor. At the time, 34-year-old Josh Whitehead of Alabama led long-distance legend Michael Wardian by two minutes, with Italy's Hermann Achmuller just behind the leaders.

It was at the 24-mile mark that Roach, who just kept grinding away, finally overcame the leaders.

"Every time we got a straightaway where I had a view, I could see that I still had a shot," said Roach, a computer programmer and member of the local Wednesday Night Laundry Runner's Club. "When I finally passed everyone it felt amazing. You're working so hard."

Whitehead, who was the 14th overall American finisher at the Boston Marathon and was making his Big Sur debut, found out how grueling the course can be. He would end up finishing third with a time of 2:28:54. Taking second place with a time of 2:28:42 was 32-year-old Sausalito resident Matthew Laye, who was also making his Big Sur debut.

Like Roach, Laye also made a surge in the second half of the course. Around the 10-mile mark, Laye was as far back as seventh.

"I felt great. I just started picking people off," said Laye, who won the 2008 Heart of America Marathon in Missouri. "I'd get close to Adam, maybe within 15-20 seconds, but then he'd recover and pull away again."

Coming into the race, Roach said he felt as if he had a bulls-eye on his back. In winning last year, Roach joined Mike Lundblad (1988), Daniel Tapia (2010) and Jesus Campos (2011) as those with local ties to win the event. Tapia and Campos were long-distance aces at Hartnell College after stellar prep careers at North Monterey County and King City, respectively. Neither competed this year.

"I knew I would have to have a great race," Roach said. "It was tougher this year. It's always harder coming in number one. You have a big target on your back."

Rounding out the Top 5 were Wardian, who finished fourth at 2:31:54 and Brian Dumm of Pacific Grove, who came in at 2:33:25. Achmuller placed sixth at 2:34:52.

Wardian is a four-time winner of the USA Track and Field Championships and is the current indoor marathon world record holder (2:27). In both 2010 and 2012, Dumm, 30, captured the Air Force Marathon with identical times of 2:28.

The only other local runner to crack the Top 20 was Pacific Grove's James Kimbrell, who placed 14th at 2:48:57.

Winning the 21-miler was Steve Cryan of El Segundo at 2:04:44. In the 10.6-miler, San Francisco's Stephen Rothwell took first at 1:09:16. Marina's Cole Leeson was third (1:16:05) and Monterey's Nichloas Mires (1:18:24) was sixth.

The oldest marathoner, 81-year-old Richard Ospahl of Portola Valley, came in at 5:01:17.